RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Impact Gold 16U-Borgeson’s Natalia Espinosa had a unique childhood.
“My parents were political operatives and met in Washington, D.C.—where I was born,” she begins. “My mom is from the Philippines and my dad from Texas, so the world was always a small place. Every trip was a plane ride, but a world away. It isn’t uncommon to be on a plane for 20 hours and wake up to seeing some cousins.”
“We moved to Central America when I was 3 (years old),” the athlete remembers, “then moved to Egypt and after that Thailand, before coming back to D.C. and then making Texas our ‘forever’ home. I had to get a new passport by the time I was 12 (years old), because it was already full!”
Espinosa has fond memories of all her travels.
“Swimming in a volcano crater, floating in the Dead Sea, living on the Nile river across the street from where Jesus and his family fled to Egypt, riding camels in the Sahara Desert,” Espinosa said.
“But honestly, my favorite place is my dad’s hometown of Bandera, Texas –– the Cowboy Capital of the World. My best memories are of floating the Medina River, riding horses, chasing piglets in the annual Wild Hog Explosion, and eating Mexican food at our family restaurant, El Jacalito.”
Texas is also where Espinosa, a 2022 C/UT, found softball and where she found a home with the Impact Gold organization.
“Nat has a positive ‘can-do’ attitude,” Impact Gold-Borgeson coach Charlie Borgeson said. “She’s a vocal leader on the field and is well versed. She’s capable of playing multiple positions on the field. Nat continues to strive to always do her best, be better and pushes others.”
Espinosa’s teammates recognize her leadership skills.
“Natalia is a very hard-working teammate,” Impact Gold-Borgeron 2023 1B/OF Kaylee Moses said. “She is always vocal on the field and is cheering her teammates on. Natalia always puts in the work and plays to the best of her abilities. Natalia is always making others smile during the game.”
Nicknamed “Noodles” (read more about that below), Espinoza is pound-for-pound one of the strongest athletes on her team despite her 5-foot-frame.
“Nat has always been so passionate about anything she does,” said Toni Williams, a 2022 IF/OF/UT who plays with Espinosa at Lake Travis High, Texas. “She is a hard, determined worker and she has great communication skills on and off the field. Her versatility as an athlete is probably her biggest highlight in my opinion. She is a big motivator and is a great example of what a teammate should be. She loves to defy the odds in everything she does.”
EXTRA STAR POWER Q&A
Name: NATALIA ESPINOSA
Hometown: Austin, TX
High School: Lake Travis High, TX
Club Team (age group): Impact Gold-Borgeson 16U
Graduation Year: 2022
Height: 5-foot
Position: C/UT
Nickname: Nat, Mighty Mouse and Noodles
Twitter: @CatchNat2022
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them?
I play for Impact Gold coached by Chuck Borgeson. A couple of my friends played for the organization, loved it, so we gave it a try. I knew it was the right place when the coaches told me why I wasn’t going to start, and what I needed to improve on to get the chance. I’ve played for other teams that wouldn’t give you any useful feedback. Chuck was honest, and gave me the chance to compete, and more importantly, get better. The girls on the team are some of the most talented girls I have ever played with, and also the hardest working, kindest, and most intelligent. Unfortunately, for them they will be stuck with me as a friend ‘til the end.
*** Scroll down for more on Natalia including how she got the nickname “Noodles” and the reason her home in Texas doesn’t get many solicitors!